


My Heart Is In Your Hands

by RinzlersGhost



Series: Tumblr Requests [4]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Insecurity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:34:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29803002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinzlersGhost/pseuds/RinzlersGhost
Summary: Anon requested Lindir X Insecure Human Fem! Reader. It ended up being gender neutral with no identifying facts.Lindir X Gender Neutral Reader
Relationships: Lindir (Tolkien)/Reader
Series: Tumblr Requests [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190627
Kudos: 8





	My Heart Is In Your Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Hir-nin - My lord  
> Morroch - black horse  
> Dartho - Wait  
> Muin-nin - My dear  
> Mell-nin - My beloved  
> Again longer texts of Elvish have the translation in the work next to it, to prevent you from scrolling back up.

You were a human from Bree. Originally you had been asked to visit Imladris with traveling merchants, and then you had been asked to maintain the permanent vendor stall there. You weren’t exactly sure that it was the best position for you, but you knew the wares better than anyone else. Your family line made custom leather bridles and saddles so you were always busy in the market because if it was one thing these elves loved, it was the company of their horses.

Glorfindel was probably your most prominent customer, though sometimes the great Lord Elrond was in the mood to spoil his black horse. If either of the lords noticed your quiet and demure nature, they never remarked on it. It was quite the change being a human living among elves. For certain, you weren’t the only one there and Lord Elrond was kind enough to provide you living there free of charge. You didn’t really pack-bond with other humans. You liked horses and books and anything that really got you away from other people. It was hard enough to make friends, let alone make them among elves, who seemed practically perfect in everything they did.

You made your way to the stables after you closed your stall for the night, snagging an apple from the kitchens, hoping that Asfaloth was in his stall for the night, and indeed he was. You smiled to yourself, brushing out his coat, mane, and tail. Any other day, you would braid it but you never knew when Glorfindel would go out and you didn’t want to cause a disturbance for him. You split the apple in half, giving half to Asfaloth and keeping the other half for yourself. Maybe you would visit some of the other horses tonight. 

“I see he has company.” Glorfindel leaned on the stall railing. “Are you the reason he is always well maintained?”

“No, _hir-nin_. I’m sure the stable hands do a wonderful job taking care of him.” You murmured quietly. “He’s just one of the gentler stallions among the lot. You’ve certainly created a bond with him.” But even Glorfindel didn’t deter Asfaloth away from you and you pressed your head against him, rubbing under his jaw and chin.

“He likes you.” Glorfindel murmured.

“Do you need to leave?” You asked, briefly glancing up.

“No, not urgently. I have some free time and was considering going for a ride.” You stepped away, slipping out of the stall, much to your disappointment. 

“I wasn’t meaning to keep you, _hir-nin_.” You murmured. “Does Lord Elrond’s horse have a name?”

“Morroch?”

“How very creative.” You remarked, taking a moment to stand on the outside of Morroch’s stall and feed him the other apple half.

“He is ridden less than Asfaloth. You should ask Elrond if you could ride Morroch every now and again. I’m sure his horse would appreciate the chance to stretch his legs.”

“With all due respect, _hir-nin_ , if I had his horse when he most needed it, I don’t think it would end very well for me.” You murmured, letting the other horse get to know you, if but for a few minutes before stepping away. “Don’t let me keep you.”

“You can call me Glorfindel, you know.” Glorfindel offered you a smile, but it seemed to go right on through you as you bade him your goodnights, returning to your simple talan. You had never decorated it. You never saw any reason to. You burned the oil in your lamps late at night, reading and rereading your books and holding them close to your heart.

You spent many nights like this. If you weren’t reading to pass the time, then you chose to spend your time in the gardens, late where few only milled about. You were most content among the gardens that Lord Elrond cultivated, roses in every variety, every shape, color, and smell and sometimes you caught the lord among them, but that wasn’t very often. Tonight’s guest was... his chief of staff, the minstrel Lindir, who admired one of the blooms cupped in his hands before finding a suitable bench, fingers dancing in rhythm across his small harp.

You leaned back against the garden wall, listening to his lovely melody. They were such wondrous creatures, and you were just... human, you supposed. You closed your eyes and tried to imagine the things that Lindir sang about as his rich voice spilled into the night air. Did they sing for love, you wondered? Did they sing drinking songs or tell stories of old? Did they sing to the stars, as if to woo them closer to Earth? You let his song resonate in you even after he’d stopped singing, his fingers still plucking away at a melody. He sounded marvelous. You had heard the minstrels play before, but few of them ever sang. Perhaps you had intruded on a private moment, but you didn’t dare make yourself known. When you thought he might be gone, you stood only to find him still there, just basking in the moonlight. His circlet was gone and his hair unbraided and he looked like the most ethereal creature you had ever seen. You were sure your jaw had dropped as you sucked in a sharp gasp, only to have his eyes snap to you. He blushed and your cheeks flamed with heat as you stuttered out an apology for intruding on his time, hurrying back to your little talan.

“ _Dartho_ , Y/N, wait!” You stopped abruptly, more shocked that he knew your name than anything. He smacked right into you, nearly dropping his harp when you turned and your reflexes caught it at the last possible moment. That was close. You offered it back to him.

“I wasn’t trying to intrude. It’s just you were playing, and then you started singing, and I don’t think I hear very many elves sing, and... and...” You stuttered to a halt at his shocked look.

“Glorfindel said you were quiet but I didn’t think you were that quiet.” Lindir murmured quietly. “ _Goheno nin_. _Forgive me_.” He murmured, taking in a breath. “Officially, I’m Lindir. It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’m Y/N.” You offered shyly. “But I think you already knew that.” He took back his offered harp with a blush rising to his pale cheeks. 

“Thank you.” Lindir whispered. “I... I’ve been meaning to talk with you.”

“Me?” You asked. “Why me? I’m not anyone to write home about... unless you’re in the market for a saddle for a horse.”

“No. I don’t usually go out. Glorfindel has tried, but I don’t think... I don’t think horses like me very much.” Lindir murmured. “It’s just that I see you out and about, and you’re always alone. I thought... maybe, you would like some company for once?” He blushed again, all the way up to his ears, tinting them pink, as he tucked his hair behind them nervously.

“Um...” 

“I... wasn’t trying to intrude. You just seem lonely. We don’t have to talk... if you don’t want to.” You almost felt sorry for him. Clearly, he wasn’t in the habit of making new friends very easily either, and had no choice but to display his nervous tics for all the world to see. You couldn’t believe that Lord Elrond’s chief of staff got this nervous at meeting new people!

“That’s fine, I guess. I don’t think our paths cross very often.” You murmured quietly. His face fell a little bit but determination seemed to glint in his eyes.

“In that case, I will have to make sure our paths cross more often.” Lindir replied. “Goodnight, Y/N.” 

“Goodnight, Lindir.” You murmured, watching him leave, fairly curious about what he meant by that.

It turned out what Lindir meant by that was that he actually had to have been intentionally crossing your paths. If he wasn’t dropping by your stall to ask you what you were working on or what pieces you were selling, he was making sure that you didn’t walk alone to the dining hall or catching you in your tours of the gardens, and walking with you. He was quite the chatterbox, asking you everything imaginable under the sun. What was your home like? Did you have family? What were they like? Did you miss your home? What was your travel like the first time you had ever made the merchant run? Did you prefer being a traveling merchant over maintaining the permanent stall in Imladris?

Just when you thought he had asked all the questions in the world, he was asking more. And really, he encouraged you to ask as many as you liked, and even taught you some more conversational Elvish than you already knew. You found his company highly enjoyable, even starting to relax around him. Soon enough, you introduced one another to each other’s solace, and Lindir met Morroch and Asfaloth, and a few other warrior’s horses, and he, in turn, introduced you to the vast expanses of libraries of Elrond’s House. You thought it was magnificent. You had never seen so many books in one place in your whole life, and when he offered to read to you, you couldn’t do anything but nod shyly.

So it was then, after selling out of all your wares, and instead of being brought more by merchants, but asked to come home, that you’d found yourself curled up in the library, trying to choke back sobs as you waited for Lindir to meet you there. You thought you’d seen a few pitying glances from other elves but most avoided your reading area where Lindir had created a small nook and very few dared even approach. You felt a hand on your shoulder.

“ _Muin-nin_.” Lindir whispered quietly, kneeling to your side. “ _Muin-nin_ , what is wrong?” You choked back a soft cry, leaning forward to bury your head against his shoulder, throwing your arms around him and holding him as close as you could.

“My family wants me to... hic... come home.” You finally murmured.

“That is a good thing, is it not? You miss your home dearly, _muin-nin_.” Lindir replied quietly, even though his heart was sinking.

“I do! But no, it’s not a good thing!” Lindir blinked, pushing you away from his shoulder.

“I don’t understand.” You frowned, cupping his face in both your hands and kissing him solidly on the lips. “Mm!” He went rigid for a moment, breathless, utterly speechless at the feelings that raced through him and when you drew away it was over all too soon for him. He stared at you for a moment, eyes blown wide. You sniffled, wiping your eyes.

“Now do you understand?” You asked, sitting back on your heels. “Or should I leave?” You received no immediate reply and feared the worst, starting to stand when he caught your hands, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have... I’m so sorry.”

“You doubt yourself so much, _muin-nin_.” Lindir whispered. “I wish you wouldn’t.” He leaned forward, fingers grazing down your cheek, cupping your chin and meeting your lips with his own, kissing you, kissing you eagerly, kissing you hungrily. He was clumsy and awkward, and you realized then that maybe he had never been kissed before. Maybe you had quite literally stunned him speechless. That didn’t happen very often for you, but you welcomed his eagerness, placing a hand on his cheek to slow him down, the two of you exchanging soft, slow kisses, tucked between rows of books. 

“I don’t want to go home, no matter how much I miss it. Because I would miss you more.” You whispered softly. “My home is where my heart is, and Lindir, _guren min gaim lín: my heart is in your hands.”_ He gathered you into his arms, holding you close and took your hand in his, placing it over his racing heart.

“You will always have a home in my heart, _mell-nin_.” Lindir murmured. “Stay in the Valley, please. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if you left.”

“I would be out of a job. I have no skills, except in leather working.”

“Our craftsmen can teach you their work. Everyone is always looking for an apprentice. You can start over. Choose what you like. And I have a more than comfortable salary under Lord Elrond. You will always be provided for.”

“I couldn’t lean on your generosity.” You whispered. 

“Then court me, and banish all thoughts of it from your mind.” Lindir replied. “Will you allow me to court you?” He asked softly.

“I... don’t know anything about Elvish customs.” 

“I’ll teach them to you.” He pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek. “Will you allow me to court you?”

“Yes.” You threw your arms around him tightly, holding him close. “I do allow you to court me, Lindir.”


End file.
